Last week I was astonished to learn that there is a racquet sport called “Soft Tennis.” It had somehow previously escaped my notice. Soft Tennis was invented in Japan and is played primarily in Asia. It looks a lot like lawn tennis and is played on a standard tennis court.
The primary difference between tennis and Soft Tennis is the ball. It is… wait for it… soft when compared to the fuzzy yellow ball used in traditional tennis. The inflatable rubber Soft Tennis ball comes with a pump. Soft Tennis racquets are slightly smaller and lighter than standard tennis racquets.
The result of the differences in equipment is that the ball moves slower and allows for beginning players to master rally play more quickly. The rules are very tennis like, but also include some departures such as alternating the server after every two points.
The playing characteristics of Soft Tennis are very similar to Quick Start tennis. However, Soft Tennis may be more appealing to beginning adults because Quick Start has almost universally been marketed as little kid tennis. Nobody wants to play a baby game.
Soft Tennis came to my attention because it is the subject sport of a recent research study with direct applicability to tennis. I plan to cover that paper next Tuesday. In the meantime, I felt compelled to introduce the concept of Soft Tennis and send you down the same rabbit trail that I just enjoyed.
Soft Tennis has the potential to be the gateway sport between Pickleball and Tennis.
Curiously enough, Amazon sells soft tennis balls, but not racquets. I am guessing that a quick start frame might be a reasonable substitute.
 | Markwort Kenko Soft Tennis Ball Starter Set |
- Soft Tennis, Wikipedia Page, viewed 6 August 2022.
- The International Soft Tennis Federation, viewed 6 August 2022.
- The Rules of Soft Tennis, viewed 6 August 2022.
